You know, my problem isn't inhibitions about the juvenile activities that I do. I have no hang-ups with being a computer gamer at all. The problem is that I do computing activities which are far more mature - and far more obscure. There's nobody outside a computer-science context who wants to hear about 2,000-word essays on computer technology predictions. The same applies to my interests in automotive technology, aeronautics and spaceflight.

The juvenile activities are easy to justify. It's my interests in other things that are difficult to explain, particularly as I'm what you may consider "eccentric" anyway.

Well said, well said indeed. Having played with/against this Jen character, I have to say you're an impressive teacher, but also demonstrate incredible trust: being prepared to take her into a world that is often juvenile and chauvinistic (one which could have easily put her off) shows more commitment than most would have. That there is reason enough for her to trust you in the future.

Hopefully these events will become less of an unusualness and become the norm. Hopefully once the juvenile and chauvinistic tendency of the gaming world that Lukasa pointed out has died down a little. I'd still argue that we shouldn't completely wipe out those tendencies though since the world would be dull if we were all reading from the same page.

I look forward to the day when my girlfriend and myself both have our own computer so we can re-enact such activities, she has expressed interest already in playing Team Fortress 2. Though its likely she'll want to stay within arms reach so any kills I make against her are met with her giving me a beating in real life. Fun times.

My better half is on our bed right now curled up with her DS playing Professor Layton. We both stayed up the past few nights to do 'just one more puzzle'. I bought Scene-It over Christmas and she loves a game every few nights. She doesn't like the games I would tend to play wholesale, but when we strike middle ground it always ends in a good night.

I need a girlfriend like that. it's not gaming that prevents me though. i ware gaming on my sleeve. it's out there for the world to see. i'm just shy as all hell when talking to a female i might be attracted to. backwards, i know

RAKtheUndead:You know, my problem isn't inhibitions about the juvenile activities that I do. I have no hang-ups with being a computer gamer at all. The problem is that I do computing activities which are far more mature - and far more obscure. There's nobody outside a computer-science context who wants to hear about 2,000-word essays on computer technology predictions. The same applies to my interests in automotive technology, aeronautics and spaceflight.

The juvenile activities are easy to justify. It's my interests in other things that are difficult to explain, particularly as I'm what you may consider "eccentric" anyway.

Are the more "eccentric" parts part of your career? Or areas of study for a career? If so, what's there to justify?

Lukasa (J-Server):but also demonstrate incredible trust: being prepared to take her into a world that is often juvenile and chauvinistic (one which could have easily put her off) shows more commitment than most would have.

I've found that the community in TF2 (unless you're on the Steam forums, or if you're playing on 2fort2furious) is a lot more mature than other games I've played. Most of the guys that talk on the servers I play on sound like college students and older, and they're just out to play a game.

A love of games is almost as attractive as a love of comics - they both share the same stigma and I happen to like both quite a bit. But its a changing world and I hope more women come to see this as interests of their own as well. Not having common interests with your partner, or at least not many is kind of unfortunate.

Great article that made my day a lot better. Its still great to see that games can bring people closer together in a way that will make both people enjoy each others company. Nobody should ever hide their love of games, because even though some girls might find it nerdy and dislike it, doesn't mean that every girl does. There's always that one who loves gaming just as much as you do.

I never really had to introduce my girlfriend to gaming, she was already a gamer when we met. That said, she has branched out and tried a lot of games she normally wouldn't have tried on her own. When we met, she was more of a survival horror, RPG, and the occasional RTS girl. She didn't pick up shooters too much until she met me. I helped expand her genre tastes: She plays many more shooters and RTS games now. Likewise, I'm more willing to try games I normally wouldn't have tried because of her.

But...We often run into problems when trying to play together online: The maturity level of the average gamer. Unless we are playing a private match only with our friends, she won't use the mic or give any hint that she is a girl. The average gamer on Live, upon hearing a girl, either begins spamming her with friend requests and vulgar pick up lines, or starts going into some sexist rant. It isn't too bad on the PC and PS3, but on the 360...Dear God. It makes it hard for us to really enjoy our time together when playing over Live because it happens in EVERY SINGLE MATCH after she uses her mic. Constantly pressing the mute button gets really irritating.

I read this story but for some reason it just didn't faze me at all, maybe I'm jaded and have all the emotional warmth of a dalek but I really don't understand how gaming brings couple's together. Not bashing the OP's post but I just don't see it.

Great article. Reminded me of my wife playing Morrowind and watching her joy in exploring the Telvanni city (after I explained to her that while running around with a huge hammer she affectionately termed 'The Ratmasher' was all fine, it might be a good idea to wear something more protective than her underwear :) She was new to RPGs.

Loved the article, my girlfriend can't stand most games, but slowly over the last 3 years I think she has come to realize how much I enjoy them and even listens if I want to rant about the lighting in left4dead or how beautiful TF2 looks with my new graphics card. Also last night we were at a pub quiz with some friends we told her to put our team name down as epic fail and she wrote it entirely in leet! Plus she now watches ZP with me, slowly she is become closer and closer to being a gamer too... just need to get her to play real games (not just The Sims 2 all day).

see gaming is a great - my story is the other way round in that I'm a chick and needed to initiate my hubby in the ways of the game, we had to cut back on the star craft because his ego couldnt take it, but he's much better @ FPS's than me so the 360 gets a bashing more than our PC's now.